Big Hero 6 (cancelled Universal film)
Big Hero 6 was an unreleased computer-animated superhero film that was to be produced by Gingo Animation and to be distributed by 20th Century Fox. Based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, it was being written and directed by Audel LaRoque with a script co-written by Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow and James Gunn, and is unrelated to the 2014 Walt Disney Animation Studios film of the same name, although it has a similar storyline. Gingo started developing an animated film based on the Big Hero 6 comics from Marvel Comics in 2000 when they had acquired the film rights and got the license from Marvel Entertainment. The film was originally planned for released in theaters in Christmas 2006, but it was delayed to 2007. In March 2006, Gingo then moved the film to 2008, and announcing Audel LaRoque as the director of Computeropolis 2, which he was directing concurrently with Big Hero 6. However, in March 2007, the project was abandoned by Gingo due to script problems and LaRoque was no longer working on the project, and would instead work on an idea that would later become Quest. The project was later moved to Walt Disney Animation Studios and was released on November 7, 2014, seven years after the cancellation of the Gingo film. It was met with both critical and commercial success, grossing over $657 million worldwide and becoming the second highest-grossing animated film of 2014, behind Gingo's Gabriel Garza 2. Had this film been released, it would have been the first animated theatrical film based on a Marvel comic. In fact, this would have also been the first (and presumably the only) Gingo film to feature Marvel Comics characters. Premise Like the 2014 released Disney film, it would have retain some of the core themes and character concepts from the comics, but makes substantial changes and builds a new story around them. It would revolve around Hiro, a 13-year-old boy genius who created Baymax; after the death of his parents, he forms a superhero team called Big Hero 6 to fight Shikra, a villain who killed Hiro's parents. That storyline is completely different from the comic series and the Disney film, though the Disney film has some similar elements from the unproduced Gingo film. Cast * Elijah Wood as Hiro * Audel LaRoque as Baymax * Avril Lavigne as Honey Lemon * Linda Cardellini as GoGo Tomago * Steve Zahn as Wasabi-No-Ginger * Seann William Scott as Fred * Tim Curry as Shikra * George Takei as Neki Production Development In March 2000, 20th Century Fox and Gingo Animation announced that they had bought the rights for the Big Hero 6 comic book series from Marvel Comics to make an animated film. Geo G. was attached to direct the film from the script by Toy Story writers Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow. Geo also said that the film was expected to see a PG-13 rating, like most live-action Marvel films. In April 2001, James Gunn, the writer of Scooby-Doo (2002), was hired to do the re-writes for the script. In November 2001, Terry Ward took over the directing position, although Geo G. originally designed the characters for the film. By May 2002, the first draft was completed. Around 2003, Chris Jenkins then replaced Ward to direct the film. In June 2004, it was reported that Audel LaRoque took over as the fourth scheduled director, and had been set to direct the feature. In September 2004, Gingo set the release date for December 1, 2006, which was, in May 2005, pushed back to 2007. In March 2006, Gingo then moved the film to 2008, and announcing LaRoque as the director of Computeropolis 2, which he was directing concurrently with Big Hero 6. Casting In August 2004, the film's cast was announced. Elijah Wood (who would later go on to voice Ridder in another Gingo film Quest) joined as Hiro, director Audel LaRoque as Baymax, Avril Lavigne as Honey Lemon, Linda Cardellini as GoGo Tomago, Steve Zahn (who would later go on to voice Tygon Bellhouse in another Gingo film Evolupia) as Wasabi-No-Ginger, Seann William Scott (who would later go on to voice Roge in another Gingo film Gabriel Garza) as Fred, Tim Curry as Shikra, and George Takei (who would later go on to voice Warui Kobayashi in another Gingo film Woo La La) as Neki. Cancellation and legacy In March 2007, Gingo announced that the production of Big Hero 6 was ultimately shut down, due to having problems with the script. LaRoque, who was unhappy about this, said about the film's cancellation, "The story wasn't working that right. We're out of ideas now, so we killed Big Hero 6." Not only because Big Hero 6 was suffering script issues, but it is also because LaRoque would instead work on an idea that would later become Quest. Five years later after Gingo cancelled Big Hero 6, Walt Disney Animation Studios announced they were in development with Marvel to make an unrelated film of Big Hero 6, which was released on November 7, 2014. Scripts Each script has a different storyline. BIG HERO 6 by JOEL COHEN & ALEC SOKOLOW (First Draft, 12-15-2000) BIG HERO 6 by JAMES GUNN (First Draft, 2002-05-19) BIG HERO 6 by AUDEL LAROQUE (First Draft, 2005-11-5) Differences between the unproduced Gingo film and the Disney film * Like in the original comics, Hiro's brother Tadashi does not appear in the unproduced Gingo film. * In the comics, Baymax is a bodyguard; while in the Disney film, he is a friendly robot originally designed to provide medical care. In the unproduced Gingo film, however, Baymax is still a bodyguard but friendly. * Strangely, Hiro's surname was never mentioned in the unproduced Gingo film. He was given two names in the comics and the Disney film: Hiro Takachiho in the comics and Hiro Hamada in the Disney film. It is most likely possible that Hiro was a completely different character from his comic and Disney counterparts because of his different appearance in the unproduced Gingo film. Judging by Hiro's different appearance in the unproduced Gingo film, fans refer him as "Gingo Hiro." Video game There was a video game planned for release alongside the film. Going by the same name as the film, it was planned to be an action-adventure game. It was planned to be released around 2008, and the hopes were pretty high for the game. However, as Fox and Gingo pulled the plug for the film, so did the video game. No screenshots or video of gameplay were ever released. Trivia * At one point, Gingo confirmed that there will be a trilogy of Big Hero 6 films coming to theaters, but those plans were abandoned when they cancelled the production of Big Hero 6. Also, before the film's cancellation, director Audel LaRoque expected it to be a hit and launch a franchise, as with most Gingo films. * There is a robot figure resembling Baymax in BJ's room in BJ and Wally and its sequel FusionMania. This is possibly a reference to Gingo's cancelled Big Hero 6 film. * In Computeropolis 2 (in which Audel LaRoque directed although he was originally directing Big Hero 6 at first), while Vinna practices her Japanese accent, she mentions Hiro Takachiho, a possible reference to Big Hero 6. Also, Hiro's Marvel comics surname Takachiho is mentioned in Computeropolis 2, although there is no sign of Hiro's surname in the unproduced Gingo version of Big Hero 6. It is likely possible that this is a reference to the original Marvel Big Hero 6 comic series, not the unproduced Gingo film. * There is also a reference in Woo La La, where Kireina picks up a manga with the Gingo counterparts of Hiro and Baymax on it. * In Gabriel Garza, there is a student in Gabriel's class that resembles Hiro, a possible reference to Gingo's Big Hero 6. The Hiro-like student also makes cameo appearances in Plucky Chicken and Gabriel Garza 2. Gallery Coming soon! Category:Unproduced Category:Cancelled films Category:Gingo Animation Wiki